D Day
by ForeverTwin611
Summary: America and England relax before the invasion of Normandy. Though trying to relax when the end is so near, proves harder than anticipated and results in barriers being broken and past troubles that had been stored away for years to be resurfaced.


**Hey guys. What's up?**

**So the school year...it's ending. FINALLY. Really, I don't think I can take much more homeowrk and projects. After exams I will be SO HAPPY. WHOO.**

**Anyway, we just finished up our WW II unit in American History and it sparked a ton of ideas. Here's just one of them that I wrote during classes. God, I love Hetalia so much. XD Sorry if there are any mistakes in the historical factor. I didn't research very far past what I payed attention to in class. :P**

**Hope you enjoy~ Again, I'll get back to other projects when school ends. :3**

**Disclaimer: I don't own these two~**

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><p>"Hey Arthur..."<p>

The English nation looked back from where he had been previously looking out across the English Channel. The blues seas, waves crashing across the shoreline, tearing away at the beaches with each stroke.

He glanced towards the blonde, sitting across from him, leaning forward, elbows resting on knees, his fingers intertwined and placed in front of his lips, dry and chapped.

Arthur watched the young nation and saw the stress this war had done to him. Dark circles hollowed usually bright blue eyes and stress marks pulled at what had been once fresh, fair skin.

He looked almost aged in this state, old and solemn though in reality (despite the American nation having gone through its share of hardships) he was still so young. He still had so much to see and so much to accomplish.

The British nation knew what he was feeling. The first couple wars on such a scale as this one were always the hardest.

Not that he could say anything himself.

This war, the one that should have been prevented years ago after the first clash of nations, had all but destroyed him.

He had seen countless fall under Axis rule one by one with little to no struggle. He had even watched as Francis, the very nation he detested the most, fell to Germany and his ruthless and cruel leader and become bloodied with the battles of war.

He himself, an old man now, was worn, pained, and exhausted after five years of war. He had been hanging on a thread, just barely keeping his coattails from falling into the grip of the Axis when his boss had finally looked to the United States, the very nation sitting across from him.

Arthur knew Alfred didn't want to be here. He knew that after coming out of a severe depression, the _last_ thing he wanted to do was fight in a war across the seas, a war that he did not belong in. Sadly for him and his people, they didn't have much of a choice. After the horrid Japanese bombing on the 50th of his states, his own child of sorts, a fire had burned throughout the entire nation's being and he had run straight into the midst of the bloodshed, only looking back to be reminded by the sinking of his ships, the drowning of his men, and the thousands of innocent people who had been affected.

But today was the day, the invasion had been planned and a huge fleet was ready to cross the English Channel into Normandy while the Germans held most of their troops miles away in Calais.

Yes, this was the day. If all went well everything would be over. This war...the deaths of millions of people...the bloodshed and destruction that had been wrought with the clouds of war.

All _over._

Then why did the American look so distraught?

"Yes, Alfred?" Arthur asked gently, his usually sharp tone softened by the pained look in the other's eyes.

"Why did all of this have to happen? Again?" his voice was strong like the hardships he had already been through but there was a twinge of pain and innocence, a flash of naive youth under a hard shell.

"I mean, the Great War. It was the war to end all wars..." he looked up from his hands, "So why didn't it?" Arthur sighed and leaned back, rubbing the corners of his eyes, feeling the stress marks that resided there. He paused for a couple moments before answering, being careful in choosing his words.

"We all have ambition, Alfred..." he began, looking him in the eyes, "And we fight to attain our goals. You know that." Though there was no spoken recognition between the two, both knew exactly which rainy day they were thinking of. Alfred's gaze remained consistent, strong and unwavering as he looked Arthur straight back in the eyes, just as he had nearly 200 years ago when declaring his independence.

"You're so young..." Arthur continued and there was a trace of a frown on the other's lips. America hated it when other nations called him young and the English nation knew that full well, "You've had to grow up and become your own nation so much faster than the rest of us...you and...um..."

"Mattie?" Alfred intervened and Arthur nodded, only just realizing that the Canadian was in the same room, dozing off on a couch across the room, resting himself before the invasion was to be launched. He also had a fleet among the American and British and other Allies and though he would prove to be just as much as a help as the other nations, the other two couldn't find it in themselves to sleep and instead let it build inside them, only combating the exhaustion with pure nerves.

"You and Matthew. You were brought into the civilized world in a much later time than we were, many of us European and Asian nations. We had _hundreds_ of years to build ourselves up. _Hundreds_ of years to work through families of rulers, governments, and ways of life. We also had time to destroy ourselves, stain our turf with the blood of our people, and that of others."

Arthur paused, letting out a long breath, "Yes, we had time and still, look where we are. 1944 and we _still_ fight and we _still_ make the same mistakes. That's why we're at war, Alfred. Despite hundreds of years of being, we still haven't learned to get along, accept each other, and live on the same Earth we were all born to."

Alfred stared into the English nation's eyes for a long time after this short speech had been made. So long in fact that Arthur began to shift uncomfortably and he cleared his throat awkwardly before the other spoke up.

"You're right Iggy..." Arthur felt a slight wave if relief rush through him at the nickname though, at the same time, it sparked an irritable tic in the corners of his lips, resulting in a small frown, "But does this mean we'll never learn?"

The desperation in his eyes was almost too much for Arthur to bear but he managed to keep eye contact, "I mean," the American continued, "If it's taken this long and we're still fighting for more and more power...will we ever stop? Will we ever finally be content with what we have and work on becoming better nations for the sake of our people?" he paused as if thinking hard about something, "We may be the personification of the nations on the Earth but it's the billions of people who live to call us their home who really matter and it's their lives we're throwing away for this pathetic ambition!"

The American nation's tone began to rise and Arthur could hear choked sounds as the other's throat began to restrict with emotion, "They were born to us, Arthur! They are our responsibility! Every single one of those humans on the battlefield, the ones working around the clock to build war supplies, the ones who sit in front of the radio every night to hear good news but only receive bad, and the ones who pray that it'll all just end. That there will be peace. They are what matter! Not land...not money...not power..._people_. _Our_ people. Why can't we put aside our differences for their sake...?"

And with that, the United States if America broke down into choked sobs. The Land of the Free, Home of the Brave put his face in his hands and let the tears run to his cheeks and fall to the carpeted floor, all barriers built up of pride and strength collapsed beneath him.

Arthur looked at the sobbing nation across from him and was reminded of the days when he had done the very same, broken down as the hardships and cries of his people fell on him like weights that he no longer had the strength to carry. It was that rock-bottom feeling that tore away at all nations at one time or another. That feeling of guilt and absolute desperation that strangled and suffocated a nation until they broke down under the pressure.

Yes, Arthur knew it well.

However, those same fits had built up an ever strengthening barrier in which the English nation could now manage to contain himself and enabled him to be there for Alfred as he sunk ever further into this theoretical depression.

"Alfred..." Arthur spoke up. The other lifted his head and began wiping the tears away, though a few streaks remained on his cheeks.

"Y-Yeah sorry..." he managed to choke out, sniffing and clearing his throat, clearly looking embarrassed, "God...I'm so _pathetic_..."

"No." Arthur interjected, leaning forward, "You, Alfred, are the strongest nation I know." The American nation took in a deep breath and finally began to look composed, though his eyes were still reddened with the emotional aftereffects, "After this battle, it'll all be over. This fight in Europe. It's all we can hope in right now."

Alfred nodded and a small smile appeared on his lips for the first time in what had felt like years, which it probably had been, "Yeah...Thanks Arthur." The English nation returned this small smile.

Suddenly the wide, dark mahogany door on the other side of the room was opened with a loud, hollow creak and the two nations turned to meet the eyes of one of the lower government officials.

"The invasion is about to launch." he spoke, voice carrying a hint if authority though the man was positioned with unquestionable respect towards the two nations, "President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill would like for you to join them as they see the ships off." At the end of his sentence, the man nodded curtly and left, shutting the door behind him.

The United States if America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood as the same time, brushing themselves off and taking a couple steps towards the door. As he reached across for the doorknob, Alfred turned to Arthur.

"So, are you ready to win this war?" All traces of his breakdown were gone and replaced with his typical, confident grin. Arthur exhaled deeply and nodded, letting a small smile grace his lips in this time of seriousness.

"Yes." he paused, "For the people." Alfred's smile softened and blue eyes shone a bit brighter at these words.

"Yeah...for the people."

And the two left the room behind, leaving for what would soon be the beginning if the end, the last and greatest naval invasion in history and ultimately, the end of the Second World War in Europe.

D-Day.

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><p><strong>Yes, this is what I do instead of paying attention in school I suppose. :P<strong>

**And no, I don't know what happened to Mattie. I got a bit lazy.**

**But I hope you liked it! I'll be catching up on homework if you need me. :'D;**

**Reviews are awesome~**


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